KUMMUNIQUE

Shalom! We are proud to present another issue of Kummunique.
This issue is filled with Aliyah and Eretz Yisrael inspiration - so enjoy!

In this issue you will find:

1. "Israel Calls" by Riva Pomerantz
2. "Move-to-Israel Filters" by Amy Eisenstein
3. "A. B. Yehoshua Sparks Uproar In US" By Nathan Guttman
4. "Report: More Jews in Israel Than In Any Other Country" by Seth Freedman

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. "Israel Calls" by Riva Pomerantz
From AISH.com

This summer, our family will be leaving Cleveland and moving East, and I don't mean the East Coast. We'll be going very East -- right on over to the Middle East. In July, with God's help, we'll be making aliyah to Israel.

At first glance, we are certifiably insane. In Cleveland, we live an almost idyllic life. We are blessed with wonderful schools for our children, where they receive excellent Jewish and secular educations. My husband and I both enjoy good, stable jobs that challenge and enrich us. Real estate is wonderfully inexpensive, and we could easily afford to buy a large house in the warm, supportive neighborhood that we currently live in. We have friends and family who we depend on and delight in. In our four-floor rented house, we have amenities like a dishwasher, instant hot water, and sprawling front and back yards. We own two cars (okay, they're '92 and '88 respectively, but a car's a car!) that get us where we need to go quickly and efficiently. We are involved in a fair bit of Torah study and are committed to living reasonably God-centered, spiritually-enhanced lives.

So why are we leaving our great life in North America and moving to a region battered with terrorism, bloodshed, and civil unrest?

We've been asked this question, accompanied with looks of sheer astonishment, many times since we announced our plans.

I can understand their reaction. Life in Israel is fraught with difficulty and an elevated level of danger. Many of the amenities enjoyed by Americans are difficult to obtain in Israel. Salaries are notoriously low; the shekel seems to fall lower each day, despite the fact that mortgages and rent are paid in US dollars. The educational system is very different from that which Americans are used to, as is the healthcare system, the political infrastructure, and even the tax system.

In Israel, people pay high prices for small apartments with no front lawn to call their own. The Cornflakes taste different and the "diet" cheese weighs in at 12 fat grams per slice. People take buses that make hairpin curves down crowded streets. There is an undercurrent of fear, and school children are trained to be vigilant for suspicious packages.

Believe you me, when the subject of moving to Israel came up, I tremulously voiced the above complaints to my husband. He looked at me for a moment, and then he said something that changed my viewpoint.

"Riva, we have only one life to live. How do we want to live it?"

His statement brought the Telma Cornflakes and the bureaucratic nightmares crashing down at my feet faster than the falling shekel. He was right. It was time for me to look at Israel vs. America from a completely new angle.

If life were about instant hot water and building fancy new homes, then there's no question that I would be jeopardizing my life by moving to Israel. But it's not. Life is about working towards achieving personal potential, and doing God's will. And I firmly believe that God wants me -- and all the Jewish People -- to live in the Land of Israel.

I am not going out on a limb with this thought. The famous French commentator, Rashi, explains that God chose to begin the Torah with an account of Creation in order to give legitimacy to the Jewish People's right to the Land of Israel. The same God who created heavens and earth chose to give Israel to the Jewish nation from time immemorial. This Holy Land is the place God designated as our nation's home.

ISRAEL VS. THE DIASPORA

But it hits me on a more personal level as well.

I am privileged to have lived in Israel for three-and-a-half years, together with my husband. When we moved back to the United States, I recall standing in the airport feeling like an alien from outer space. I could physically feel the difference between the holy, predominantly Jewish land of Israel and the cold, vapid atmosphere of the Diaspora. What was I -- a Jew -- doing out of my natural environment?

When I am in Israel, I feel like a new person. Perhaps it's the gorgeous scenery and historic sites. Maybe it's the connection I feel with nearly everyone I meet -- from grocer to bus driver to customs official; they are all fellow Jews! When I am in Israel, I feel that my soul is elevated, and my "ordinary" day is extraordinary.

What I am experiencing is nothing new. Our Sages tell us that "the air of Israel makes one wise." There is a tangible aura within the Land which affects all its inhabitants.

When I compare and contrast Israel with the Diaspora, I see a vast chasm between both worlds. Somehow, the pull of materialism and trivial pursuits seems greater in the Diaspora than it is in Israel, although the Holy Land definitely features some decidedly unholy elements. Yet there is a certain innocence and beauty inherent in Israel that is both indescribable and undeniable. There is a spiritual pull in Israel -- a feeling that spirituality and holiness is ripe for the picking. This sensation -- although present in various communities across the world -- is largely watered down by the larger American culture. It's as if Israel is tuned in to a spiritual frequency that the rest of the world cannot access.

So we're moving to Israel for its spiritual richness. By consciously making this decision, we feel that we are following in the proverbial footsteps of generations of committed Jews who have followed the call that Abraham embodied when he did God's will and traveled to Israel. Yet unlike countless Jews who risked life and limb, traveling for months on difficult, hazardous journeys, the privilege of moving to Israel has never been easier. Organizations like Nefesh B'Nefesh and AACI voluntarily hand over the gift of Israel on a silver platter to all those who desire it. We are happy to be counted amongst those who desire it.

VOTING WITH OUR FEET

We are taught in Jewish tradition that when a soul returns to its Maker, it is asked three questions, one of which is: Did you wait expectantly for the Redemption? This is a reference to the coming of the Messiah, when the entire world will recognize the reality of God and strive towards spiritual perfection. Our family regards moving to Israel as a form of "voting with our feet." There is a general consensus amongst contemporary Torah leaders that we are living in the End of Days when the ultimate Redemption seems just around the corner.

We dream of being there in the Holy Land when the Third Temple is rebuilt. Our family talks about what life will be like with the Temple in our midst. We are building a different reality, one that is God-centered, hopeful, and precious; a reality that could not exist in the Diaspora. When we first talked to our children about plans to move to Israel, our five-year-old son asked, "Will we be going on an airplane or on an eagle?" (He was referencing the famous verse "I will carry you [after the Messiah comes] on the wings of an eagle.")

We are going to Israel with our eyes wide open. We know about the dangerous security situation. We are concerned about the political instability and pained by the in-fighting between Jews. We know it will take a fair amount of conformity if we are to "fit in" and become part of the culture. Learning Hebrew will at first be difficult. It will be hard to adjust to living without a car. Sending a lift of our personal belongings is an exhausting and expensive undertaking. We are aware of all these challenges, and yet we know that God will help us deal with them. The expression "Nothing good comes easy" comes to mind, and we are experiencing what our sages meant when they said, "The Land of Israel is acquired through hardships."

But what keeps us going is the guaranteed spiritual returns on our investment. Through committing to doing God's will by living in the Land described as "the Eyes of God are upon it," He is sure to help us in our endeavors. We know that living in Israel is a valuable mitzvah -- every four steps a person walks, he receives reward for observing the positive commandment of settling in the Holy Land. Where else in the world does one receive eternal reward for simply walking the streets?

So our family is moving East. We are a family like thousands of others. We have no special circumstances or advantages that make moving to Israel easier or more appropriate than anyone else. We don't have a large financial cushion; we don't have dazzling jobs set up for us. We're really just a regular, down-to-earth family who has decided to alter our future by making a spiritual move.

The same opportunity that we have grabbed is available to every Jew today. We urge you to take it and come with us to our true home, where the streets are abundantly paved with spiritual gold. There will be pitfalls and inconveniences, but that's where the Nike approach kicks in: "Just do it."

Imagine what would happen if Jews from all over the world joined forces together in the holiest place on earth? Imagine how it would change the spiritual landscape of the entire universe!

There's only one way to find out: Follow your heart and come home.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. "Move-to-Israel Filters" by Amy Eisenstein
From AISH.com

"But, but, but ... that's a souvenir... from my trip to Japan!"

"Are we going to hang this in our home in Israel?"

"No, I guess not."

I tossed the fabric wall hanging of a Japanese geisha onto the pile of things heading for Goodwill. My husband, Mike, was a little sad, but knew he had made the right decision. Next we sifted through old cassettes, posters, tchachkes, and a bizarre statue of a gorilla that used to grace the mantle back in Mike's bachelor days. They all ended up in the Goodwill pile. You may be wondering why this event was worthy of documentation, and I'd love to tell you.

We don't have any immediate plans to move to Israel.

We dream of moving someday, but we're definitely not at the point where we would even think of starting to pack our things. I look at the photos on the Nefesh b'Nefesh website with tears in my eyes. We talk to friends who have made the move. Mike even met with a builder who is developing a new town next to Ramat Beit Shemesh. But, we're just not ready to take the plunge. Four generations of my family live near us here in Seattle. I love that my kids have their grandparents and great-grandparents in their lives. I've tried to convince them all to move with us, but no one is budging. And thus our dream remains a dream.

Why do we keep dreaming? Because we would like to live in a country where our holidays are the national holidays. In Israel we wouldn't get strange looks from passers-by while walking around the mall ("What's that beanie thing on your head called?"). Mike wouldn't have to explain to his boss about taking time off of work for a holiday, or not answering emails on Shabbat. He occasionally says he feels like he needs a passport when going back and forth between work and home, and it isn't because of the time it takes for him to commute! At business dinners he'll find himself sipping a coke with empty table space in front of him, while his colleagues enjoy their meat and wine ("They have a dish that's vegetarian. You can eat that, right?"). And don't even get me started about the fact that I have to drive 20-30 minutes to get to the nearest kosher butcher! We also like the idea of living our daily life around sites and landmarks that have historical, religious and cultural significance to us. History seems almost palpable in Israel.

Eretz Yisrael is a special place. Most people I know have a story about how a taxi driver/bus driver/stranger on the street did something kind for them, simply because they are a fellow Jew. The US has been wonderful and for the most part hospitable towards the Jews. We've prospered here, but at the end of the day this is not our country.

So, why are we knee deep in junk in our basement, deciding what we'll pack, if we won't be leaving for years? This is my new litmus test. This is how we clean house. This is how we keep the dream fresh and alive. There are a few facets of this test: First, how many of our material possessions are important enough that we would be willing to schlep them to another continent? (This was my argument against the gorilla.)

Second, how many things do we have in our home now that we would not want in our home in the Holy Land? (The Geisha.)

Third, if something doesn't pass through these two move-to-Israel filters, why keep it in Seattle? Why not get rid of it now? Why not make our home in Seattle a place where careful thought is put into what is seen, heard and sat upon? If something is not meeting the standard for our home in the Holy Land, why is it okay to have it in our current home? Away go the piles of old paperbacks, clothes, mismatched wine glasses, junky old stereo equipment, love letters from college boyfriends or girlfriends, and on and on.

This project has also begun to affect what I purchase. For example, we've been married for four years now, and I'm still using a folding TV tray as my nightstand. I had been watching for sales, trying to coordinate with my antique dresser, deciding on color, style, etc. But just this month, it occurred to me; why buy a nightstand, and then have to pay to have it shipped to Israel someday? I'll make-do with my TV tray, and buy myself a nice nightstand when I get to Israel. A little reminder that we are living in the Diaspora is good to have around.

This has been more than a cleaning project for us. By having the bottom line be "Is this coming with us to Israel?" we're reshaping our current priorities and needs. While scrounging around in our Seattle basement, we're redefining what we will surround ourselves with spiritually, culturally and physically when we unpack our boxes in Israel, someday...

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. "A. B. Yehoshua Sparks Uproar In US" By Nathan Guttman
From Jerusalem Post

Author A.B. Yehoshua stirred controversy at the opening panel of the centennial celebration of the American Jewish Committee after saying that only the State of Israel can ensure the survival of the Jewish people. Yehoshua's passionate presentation took other panelists by surprise and became the talk of the conference, which is taking place in Washington all week long.

"For me, Avraham Yehoshua, there is no alternative... I cannot keep my identity outside Israel. [Being] Israeli is my skin, not my jacket. You are changing jackets... you are changing countries like changing jackets. I have my skin, the territory," the author told the audience, adding that Israeli Jews live a Jewish life in a totality that the American Jews do not know.

Yehoshua's statements echoed through the other sessions with many participants expressing their disagreement with the Israeli author's views. On Wednesday, former head of the Mossad, Efraim Halevy, also speaking to the AJC, distanced himself from Yehoshua's arguments and said that the fact that Israel goes to great effort to help Jewish communities around the world proves that Israel sees importance in the Jewish Diaspora.

Yehoshua himself told The Jerusalem Post that he was surprised by the uproar over his arguments. "It seems to me obvious that our Jewish life in Israel is more total than anywhere outside Israel," he said, adding, "I think this is common sense. If they were goyim they would understand it right away."

An activist in a major Jewish organization who attended the opening panel said Yehoshua's arguments "took us back to the Fifties and Sixties," adding that "we are not used to hearing this kind of approach any more."

The American Jewish Committee's centennial events will culminate Thursday with a gala event honored by US President George W. Bush, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. "Report: More Jews in Israel Than In Any Other Country" by Seth Freedman
From Jerusalem Post

For the first time since the first century, there are more Jews in Israel than in any other country, and within 30 years the majority of Jews in the world will be living here, according to one of Israel's top demographers.

Ahead of Independence Day on Wednesday, the Central Bureau of Statistics announced that the country's population stands at 7.03 million, of which 5.64 million are Jews. This is more than the number of Jews living in the US, until now home to the most Jews.

"If current trends continue, there could be an absolute majority of world Jewry living in Israel within 25 to 30 years," Prof. Sergio DellaPergola of the Harman Institute of Contemporary Jewry at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Jewish People Policy Planning Institute told The Jerusalem Post on Monday.

He attributed the increase in Israel's Jewish population to higher birth rates rather than a population increase due to immigration. The difference between the birth rate and the death rate alone added around 70,000 to the current figure, he estimated. "Israel is the only country in the world with a natural increase in its Jewish population," said DellaPergola.

Immigration, however, was relatively insignificant, he said, adding that this year, after taking emigrants into account, new immigrants swelled the Jewish population of Israel by only "a few thousand".

The Jewish population of the United States, in the meantime, is notoriously difficult to measure, DellaPergola said.

"The last surveys were taken in 2001, and even then the figures are not as accurate as the numbers provided by Israeli statisticians," he said.

A survey taken then found that there were around 5.3 million Jews in America, but DellaPergola expects that number to have declined somewhat over the last five years.

"In 1990, there were an estimated 5.515 million Jews in the US; in 2001 there were only 5.3 million," he said, suggesting that this decline could be extrapolated to estimate a lower 2006 figure.